Church objects to proximity of nudist camp

Press, 18 December 1976, Page 1

Church objects to proximity of nudist camp

The prospect of having nudists as neighbours is worrying members of the Church of the Nazarene, who plan to establish a youth camp at McLeans Island. The church leased about 13.5 hectares adjoining Orana Park from the North Canterbury Catchment Board, in October, 1874. It learned last month that its neighbour on the opposite boundary is the Christchurch Naturist Club. The club leased about 14 hectares from the board in November, 1975. The terms of both leases are the same: 21 years with automatic rights of renewal.

The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical church founded in the United States at the turn of the century. It has a New Zealandwide membership of about 350. The Christchurch branch has 60 members.

A spokesman for the church (Mr D. W. Culverhouse) said yesterday that having nudists as neighbours would make it al-

most Impossible for the church to teach its beliefs on modesty and purity of motives to the children it hoped to have at the camp. “How can we encourage children to accept these principles when they can wander off next door and see this sort of thing?” he asked.

“True, you cannot see the area from the road, but the atmosphere will still be there.”

Mr Culverhouse said that the church’s interpretation of the Bible required modesty in dress and behaviour. Nudity was immodest. The secretary of the Catchment Board (Mr E. R. Wood) said that the question as to whom the board leased land was a matter for the board, and not one about which adjoining lessees should be consulted.

“Anyway, the Naturist Club, by virtue of the nature of its activities, will no doubt bend over backwards to ensure that it does not bother anyone, or that anyone bothers it,” he said.